Pole Fishing In The Margins

[Elton]

Just received this by email - must be a few of you here able to help:

 

quote:

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I would be greatful in you could help me in finding information regarding margin fishing for carp on the pole. I have been fishing for carp in the margins for a couple of seasons & having a few good days fishing, but I find that this technique does not always work. I am specificially looking for articles about baits, feeeding techniques, fishing techniques or anything/anyone that will help me master this very exciting form of carp fishing. I would be greatful if you could help.

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[dibbly88]

i'm sure there was a very good article in improve your coarse fishing about a year ago entitled "hit and hold" and it was packed full of good gen i'll have a look through my old copies and see if i can find it so i can let you know which issue it was in.

[bart4real]

Regarding margin fishing for carp, this seems to be an area that many people are having difficulty with, judging by the amount of emails I receive about it. First of all, ignore the advice which advotes marging poles and heavy elastic. Most of the problem with carp in the margins is to do with foul hooked fish and there is a way to avoid this but 18 & 20 elastics are not the answer. The set up should be based on not applying too much pressure and it is better to fish with number 12 elastics set soft. Avoid striking at bites and just lift slowly when the float goes down. The feeding is the most important aspect and it pays to feed very little and very often. Don't use pole pots because it condenses the feeding area and results in too many fish in one place and increases the risks of foul hooking. It is better to spay the bait with a catapult, either maggots or casters. When you set you depth, start with the bait just touching the bottom and then be prepared to shallow up to fish around half depth if you start to miss bites. Carp have to up-end to feed and they accept a bait more readily presented at or near the depth they are swimming. Bites are usually more positve too but as soon as the fish is hooked, lower the pole to ease the pressure on the fish and it will stop running. By applying more pressure the fish will keep pulling against it and you risk being bottmed out. With a number 12 elastic this rarely happens if you go about it in this fashion. I tend to fish corn or single caster on the hook and hook sizes are usually around 18 or 16. It is no good fishing with bigger hook baits than what you are feeding because carp tend to ignore baits which stand out after a while and again, the risks of foul hooking is increased because they are feeding in the peg while avoiding the hook bait. There is nothing complicated about this approach but if you want to do weights over a ton, then you better start to think about the way fish feed. Listening to people who have a vested interest in selling margin poles is not going to put that magical 'ton' barrier within reach. It is better to fish with single caster because when the carp arrive they push out the smaller fish and feed more confidently on smaller baits

[Alan Branson]

Well done Bart that was a brilliant reply exactly what this site is all about

[poledark]

Nice answer Bart, I was hoping you would come forward with advice (I need it )

 

Den

[Peter Sharpe]

It doesn't explain why someone would even think of handicapping themselves by pole fishing in the margins, when a rod and reel would be far more efficient.